Chymos

Chymos Oy was a Finnish company founded in 1906,[1] producing juice, jam, wine, liqueurs and candy.

The product line also included candy, of which the best known are Marianne, Omar, Pantteri and London drops.

[3] For sales outside Finland, the Chymos Company of America was founded in the United States in 1934.

[4] Even during war time, the company underwent positive development despite the tight control of the food industry.

This was caused by reduction of demand for conserved food and increase of personnel size and expenses.

In the middle 1950s the corporation was split into two parts: a new medicine factory keeping the Orion name was founded.

[5] Chymos had a good name, up-to-date machinery, strong knowledge about the food industry and professional staff.

The reasons for the difficulties were bad economic circumstances caused by the post-war famine years and erroneous solutions.

[5] The last landmarks of the Tammenoksa era disappeared in 1972, when the old main building was dismantled and the offices were temporarily relocated into an old riding hall acquired recently.

For future use the company acquired land from elsewhere, with Chymos eventually owning 27 hectares of industrial space in Lappeenranta.

[7] In 2006 Chymos was fully assimilated into Cloetta Fazer and ceased being an independent company.

[9] The company's best-known product is Marianne, a peppermint chocolate candy wrapped in a red-white striped paper.

[10] Other famous candies include Julia, Pantteri, London drops, Omar, Ässä Mix and Pirate coins.

[9] The company has also produced alcoholic drinks such as Polar, Minttu and Lakka liqueurs as well as Kavaljeeri sparkling wine.

Nowadays Chymos alcoholic drinks are marketed by Pernod Ricard Finland Oy.